How Far I've Gone
by AquaQuadrant
Summary: Leo Valdez never expected to survive Tartarus, but he certainly didn't expect to make a friend. (Alternate ending to How far we've come, Chapter One)


**Author's Note: A while back, I promised an alternate ending to the first chapter of my story How far we've come, one where Leo lives. So... here it is! You might want to check out the first fic for this one to make any sense. I'm still not sure whether this is going to be a one-shot or not, so I'm leaving it incomplete. I may add to it at any given time. It's rated T in case I continue and it gets darker. (It's Tartarus, after all)You've been warned!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own the Heroes of Olympus books or characters.**

**And now, without further ado, please read on and enjoy this new partner fic, How far I've gone! - Aqua.**

* * *

**Leo's POV**

As soon as the Doors shut, my smile faded.

I slid to the ground, breathing heavily. I cradled my head in my hands as my eyes overflowed with tears.

After a couple moments, I pressed my ear against the Doors of Death, just to see if I could hear my friends on the other side. No such luck. Apparently, the Doors of Death are soundproof. Go figure.

I leaned against the heavy Doors, exhaling slowly. I did it. I really did it. I, Leo Valdez, practically saved the world. A laugh escaped me. Who would have guessed it? I suppose I can't take all the credit. After all, Percy and Annabeth were the ones who actually traveled through this place to get here. That's partly why it wasn't fair for them to have to stay here. They'd already done their time. Now, it was my turn.

Several minutes later, I stood up slowly. My legs were shaking like jelly. I realized I couldn't see anything through the darkness and absently wondered if my eyes would ever adjust, or if I'd live long enough to give them a chance. I raised my right palm, summoned a small flame, and took a look at my new surroundings.

The ground was made out of some sort of depressing black rock like material, and so were the walls, which reached upward endlessly. In the distance I could see a river that was flowing with lava. How nice.

After a couple steps, I decided against walking, since my body was threatening to shut down. I plopped down where I was standing and just focused on breathing.

I don't know how long I sat there breathing. But when I finally opened my eyes again, I did not like what I saw.

An immense shadow was slowly making its way towards me. It was bigger than a London bus and I could make out multiple heads snaking around each other. A hydra.

I stood up quickly, stumbling backwards. My free hand slipped into my tool belt and pulled out the heaviest hammer it could carry, which looked pathetic compared to the monster I was up against. I really should have learned how to use a sword. Things were not looking good for Captain Tool Belt.

My eyes darted around the chasm, searching for an escape route. My heart sank as I realized that the hydra was blocking my way out. Even if I could avoid the hydra, where would I run? Deeper into Tartarus, towards more monsters eager to rip my face off?

I backed up, gripping my hammer in one hand and holding fire in the other. As the monster approached me, I willed the flame to grow in intensity before firing.

Bad move. The flame lit up the cavern and revealed the monster's face, or... faces… and what I saw made my stomach turn.

Each of the hydra's heads was as large as my entire body and covered with dull red scales. Their eyes were reptilian, but they were bulging grotesquely, probably from the lack of light. Its faces were sunken in and its skin was stretched tightly, with every bone showing. Needle-sharp yellow teeth hung out of its mouths haphazardly, like a crocodile's.

The heads, not at all fazed by the fire, drew closer to me, snapping their jaws. The stench of death reached my nose, and I gagged. The center head (there were nine in total) opened its mouth and released its own column of fire.

The flames washed over me harmlessly. The hydra and I stared at each other. One of the heads hovered in front of me. Its nostrils flared as it took in my scent, and my flame wavered.

"I don't suppose you're a vegetarian?" I said hopefully. As if on cue, the monster's stomach rumbled. Me, being the genius that I am, slipped my hammer back into my tool belt, leaving me completely defenseless.

The hydra regarded me curiously, probably wondering how anyone could be this stupid.

I rummaged around in my tool belt with my free hand. My fist closed around a cold, circular object.

Hamburger meat.

I pulled the patty from my tool belt and waved it in front of the hydra.

"Hey there... good hydra... nice hydra.. want some tasty hamburger? Huh?" I asked, trying to make my voice sound friendly. The heads followed the frozen burger with their eyes. It's stomach growled again. So did one of the heads.

It was a smaller one near the back that didn't seem completely won over by my meat patty.

Slowly, I held the patty over my fire, thawing it quickly. The smell of cooking meat seemed to fascinate the monster, whose heads hovered closer to me. With a sudden pang of sympathy, I wondered if the hydra had ever gotten a decent meal down here. It did seem pretty underfed...

Brilliant, Leo. Sympathize with the giant, fire-breathing lizard.

Once the burger had cooked, I gingerly held it out in front of me and closed my eyes, fully expecting to lose my hand at any moment. I was surprised when the main head darted forward and took the patty in it's teeth before swallowing it whole.

I did not expect the look of utter surprise it gave me. It would have been funny, if my life wasn't in danger.

A few more heads moved towards me, sniffing for more.

Uh oh.

I quickly pulled five more patties from my tool belt, making my flame brighter to cook them faster. I may have scorched the burgers a little bit, but the hydra didn't seem to mind. The heads gulped them down just as eagerly.

I did this until each head had eaten its fill, even the smaller one that had growled at me.

When the hydra was satisfied, the main head gave me this odd look, like it was realizing I was it's key to endless food. It's eyes bore into mine, and I realized how intelligent it actually was.

The main head approached me, dipping towards the ground. The others watched anxiously.

I stared at the hydra head. The hydra head stared at me.

Then I smiled. I extinguished my flame and slowly, carefully, pulled myself up onto the hydra. It's skull was flat and narrow, and it had two tiny horns where it's ears would be. I gently held onto the horns to steady myself as the hydra head rose, becoming level with the others. The eight other heads each regarded me differently, but none of them snapped at me. Not even the littlest one.

The hydra and I rode off into the darkness.


End file.
